Blight (Rune Sword):

Lord Edu had always know that he was destined to rule any lands he trod
on and to devastate those who resisted his men. It was not until he had
found the Rune Sword that he could realize his dreams. It was twisted but
was balanced finer than any weapon he had ever possessed. Before then,
he had been little more than a mercenary. While he had been well born,
he was a third son never destined to inherit. The first victims when he
had taken up the sword had been his brother's lands. His brother's fortress
had been wood and the blade had made short work of a wall and the mercenaries
he hired killed all inside the fortress and he had become lord of the lands
which had once been his brother's lands. He then had taken off on wars
of further conquest.

The fortress city of Iestar had refused him and their armies had fought
his in two battles which he had made little headway against them. They
had sent a plant elemental against his army. He had taken the creature
up in single combat and had destroyed the creature. His men had made it
to the gates of the city but had been unable to break through. The gates
of the city appears to be of sort of glittering metal so he could not simply
rot the doors with his sword even if he could get that close personally.
Now his own army was running out of supplies and he could no longer keep
up the siege.

He would see how they liked their crops destroyed and the soil made
infertile. Fertile lands surrounded the city. His armies would be back
and he would see how they stood off his troops. Already his troops had
stripped the lands bare. Every couple of dozen or so paces, he planted
the sword in the ground to the hilt. Immediately, the remaining plants
began wilting and within a few moments, all of the plant life was dry and
brown. It took several days but he did not trust anyone else to do it.

Still, he was finally finished and he took the lead as his army headed
out from around the city.

This weapon is believed to be incredibly ancient, maybe hundreds of
thousands of years old. No one knows who made the weapon although the best
current opinion is that it was forged by an Old One long before Man, Dwarf,
or Elf ever walked the Earth. There are just too many years of history
for a psychic reading to decipher the ancient history of the weapon. Quite
a few have tried over the age and have only ever been able to see more
recent events.

In more modern times, the weapon was wielded by a number of kings and
generals. The weapon seems to attract many evil warlords. Often, they will
end up devastating vast areas of land. Several times, the weapon is believed
to have been hidden by those who do not want to see it abused and especially
by Earth Elemental Master who hate the absolute destruction the weapon
can bring. Somehow though, the weapon seems to always reappear. Some scholars
thing the weapon is responsible for vast destruction during the war between
the Elves and Dwarves which spelled the ruin for both races.

Blight is a long sword but is unusual in that both the blade and handle
appear to be twisted and gnarled. The appearance is of plants which are
being tortured. The weapon is made from a matt black metal which almost
appears to absorb light. Along the blade and handle are deeply carved runes.
Even though the weapon is extremely twisted and looks ungainly, it is as
well balanced as the best of Dwarven crafted weapon. As well, the blade
in incredibly sharp and like all rune weapons, it is completely indestructible.

Blight is a well known run sword which is known for its ability to just
simply be planted in the soil and it will kill all of the plants for a
six hundred foot radius. Unlike the Elemental spell of wither plants, it
kills all seeds and actually makes the soil itself poisonous. It can take
months or even years for plants to grow once again. Planted in the middle
of a field, it will make crops unable to grow there for years. Elemental
"Plant" creatures also take damage while in the soil effected by the magic.
As such, they will usually avoid the area and skirt around it. The only
cases where they will enter the radius of effect is if they are directly
commanded by a summoner or elemental master.

As well, whenever the sword strikes wood or anything made from plant
materials, the material begins to rot. On wood objects, the enchantment
effects almost two hundred pounds every few moments. It can be used to
literally collapse a wood building or a wooden castle gate. This magic
will also effect living trees, a plant elemental, and entities composed
of plant life.

The weapon has a curse as any equipment carried by the possessor of
the sword which is made from plant materials will quickly rot. Linen clothing
will normally not last more than a week or so. Cloth armor will quickly
disintegrate as well. Even cloth thread holding leather or metal together
soon will rot away. A weapon with a wooden handle would be effected in
the same manner. Bone, fur, wool, leather, metal, rock are immune. Basically
anything is unaffected by the enchantment. As well, any food which is not
animal meat, fish, or the like will spoil. Vegetables, fruit, potatoes,
bread, and rice will spoil within a day and become inedible. It does not
matter what container the material or food is stored in, it will quickly
spoil and begin to rot. Unlike similar curses, the curse does not carry
over if the weapon is passed to another.

The weapon does not appear to have a strong personality. Those who are
not evil or selfish do take damage when the weapon is carried. As well,
the weapon has distinctive dislikes such as a dislike for Earth Elemental
Masters. The weapon does not seem to really "Speak" with its possessors.
There are some scholars which suggest that once the weapon had a strong
personality but the personality fading in the many millenniums of its existence.
There is also the possibility that the weapon had spell casting abilities
but they faded into the enchantments which the weapon has now. It does
retain all of the standard abilities of rune weapons.

Attributes:

IQ: 06 Can communicates with wielder through limited telepathy although
never does
ME: 08
MA: 08

Characteristics:

Like all Rune Sword it is completely indestructible

Links to wielder within 6 months of constant contact. Can sense each other
presences within 4 miles.

Can be used to parry energy blasts at -6

Gives wielder +1 on all saving throws.

Miscreant Alignment and can be used by those of evil and anarchist alignments.
Any being which attempted to wield the weapon with a different alignment
takes 2D4 points of damage each time they touch the weapon or 3D6 damage
if creatures of magic.

Weapon Bonuses:

Due to superior craftsmanship, equal to Dwarven quality, +2 to Strike,
+3 to Parry, and +2 on Initiative.

Weapon Damage:

6D6+6 per strike against normal targets. Against plant type elemental
creatures, plant based tectonic entities, and other similar creatures take
4D6x10 per strike. Weapon inflicts S.D.C. in S.D.C. Worlds and inflicts
M.D.C. in M.D.C. Worlds. (Plus strength bonus if applicable.)

Weapon's Special Abilities:

Wither / Kill Plants: When the weapon is planted in the ground,
all plants will be killed within a 600 foot (182.9 meters) radius. Within
1D4 melee rounds, the plants will be completely withered. Any plant elemental
or other supernatural plant creatures will take 1D6x10 points of damage
per melee round inside the radius of effect. No plants will grow before
six months elapse. For every minute the sword is planted in the ground,
this is extended by a minute.
Rot Wood / Plant Material: Must be imbedded in the material
to cause affect. When used against anything made of wood or other plant
material, the weapon starts a super fast rotting process. Effects 180 lbs
(81.6 kg) per melee round of contact. Extremely effective at destroying
wooden walls, doors, and other wooden construction.

Weapon's Curse:

Rotting: An items worn or carried by the wielder of the sword
are potentially affected by the enchantment. The enchantment effects anything
made of plant based materials. This includes wood, linen, cotton, and other
similar materials. Does not effect rock, bone, metals, and animal based
clothing such as leather, fur, and wool. Clothing made from plant materials
will rot until it is useless within a week. Cloth armor rots and loses
10 S.D.C. per day. Enchanted cloth such as cloaks of armor take one S.D.C.
per week. Wooden weapons also lose 10 S.D.C. per day. Food which is vegetable,
fruit, potatoes, bread, and rice (or anything else plant based) will also
spoil within a day and become inedible. Containers will not protect the
food. Meat, fish, and any other animal based food in unaffected. If the
wielder passes the weapon to another or discards the weapon, the curse
does not continue affecting them.